Wednesday, September 15, 2010

If you are cooking rice for the first time, fret not. The experience is easy with a rice cooker, but can be tricky with regular kitchen pots. There are many varieties of rice grains, some soak up a lot of water while some don't need much to fluff. Rice is the ultimate comfort food, as it is satisfying and very warm to the tummy.

Rice Cooking Basics:

1. Put 2 Cups of Rice in the rice cooker pot.

2. Rinse the rice. Remove the bits (stones, grain husks, dark colored bits) that may float to the surface. Pour the water into the drain. Repeat rinse process twice.

3. Add 2 1/2 cups of water.

4. Place the rice pot in the rice cooker. Turn on the switch and wait. Most rice cookers are automated so you don't need to bother adjusting the heat. The rice will boil, and when cooked, the rice will fluff out on its own.

5. When the switch goes off or switches to the "warm or simmer" mode. Let the rice simmer for 5 minutes before serving.

Getting different consistencies when cooking rice:For soft, fluffy rice, add more water (half a cup or more) Ideal when cooking Japanese rice. For firmer rice, reduce the initial amount of water.

If you don' have a rice cooker, you can still cook rice on a regular pot. Follow the same rinse process. Measure the water level with your finger. We call this the finger test by estimating the rice level and water level with your finger. The water should be 1 inch or half inch above the rice grains.

There is a local saying that no grain of rice should be put to waste. As there's so much hard work place in harvesting rice. Well for Asians, Rice is gold.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

When I was little my mom would make me put the mongo seeds in a palanggana (basin) filled with water. I would fill the basin full and cover it. We would leave it soaked overnight. By lunch hour, the next day, you got naked and long togue sprouts. The green mongo shells will float to the surface of the water.

Afterwards wash the sprouts in fresh water to clean out the loose mongo shells. Voila! The togue now ready for cooking! You can make Togue guisado, Stir Fried Togue, Togue with Tokwa (Soy) dishes

On a new pan, saute garlic, onion and tomatoes. Add 1 cup water. When it finally boils put the bananas, the cabbage and potatoes. Cover with lid until the vegetables are done. Add the fried dalag to the stew. Salt to taste. Serve hot.

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